Easyjet ‘sorry’ after cabin crew reject Scottish bank note

Tom Peterkin

Easyjet is training cabin crew to recognise Scottish banknotes after a passenger’s attempt to make an onboard purchase with Scottish money was turned down.

The airline has apologised after Scottish notes were rejected on a flight from Venice to Amsterdam even though it was advertised as accepting sterling.

Bruce Anderson, a self-employed contractor from Stirling, was dismayed when cabin crew failed to recognise his Scottish notes when he tried to buy some food for his two children.

When he complained in writing to the airline, easyJet’s response seemed to confirm that Scottish notes were unacceptable.

The agent who responded to Anderson’s complaint wrote: “I am sorry you feel our cabin crew were not very friendly when making a purchase on board.

“I would like to assure you that we take complaints about unhelpful staff very seriously, because our customers are at the centre of what we do

“I do apologise that you could not make the payment in your preferred currency, as easyJet doesn’t accept Scottish pound.”

When contacted by Scotland on Sunday, however, easyJet said the Scottish banknotes had been rejected “in error” and the employee who responded to Anderson’s complaint had also “misunderstood” the airline’s currency policy.

Anderson said: “I found it depressing that they wouldn’t take Scottish banknotes.

“I ended up having to pay them in euros when there is a horrendous exchange rate.

“The thing is, they would have taken English money. My children then asked me why they wouldn’t take daddy’s money, which was upsetting.

“I suppose that’s potentially five million customers who are going to be slightly annoyed by this. It reminded me of being in London where cabbies are reluctant to take Scottish cash.

“Normally you say you have got nothing else and they reluctantly accept it.”